Midsummer is exploring expanding a planned Colombia thin-film solar factory linked to Saab’s defense-related industrial cooperation with the country
Saab’s initial 15 MW order for PV machinery may scale into a multi-stage, large-capacity production facility
Midsummer says it will provide proprietary technology, full equipment supply, and oversee the design and establishment of the proposed factory
The company has set up a sales unit in Colombia, as regional commercial interest rises due to favorable market conditions
Swedish solar technology company Midsummer says it is exploring an opportunity to expand the planned capacity of a thin-film solar cell factory in Colombia, as part of its ongoing collaboration with its compatriot Saab, an aerospace and defense company.
“This is linked to Saab’s ongoing defense and security operations and Colombia’s policy for industrial cooperation and technology transfer,” shared Midsummer, referring to Colombia recently placing an order for 17 Gripen fighter jets with Saab.
For some background, Midsummer and Saab had entered a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in November 2024 to explore and identify potential cooperation activities for applications, including solar energy, in export markets. A 200 MW solar cell factory in Thailand was on the agenda (see Sweden’s Midsummer Exploring Thailand For Thin-Film Cell Production).
The Colombia project is part of this collaboration. In May 2025, Midsummer received its maiden order from Saab worth over SEK 143 million to supply PV machinery for a thin-film solar cell fab with 15 MW annual capacity, saying it was for a non-European country. It has now identified Saab as having placed the order. The latter has the option to expand the factory’s production capacity from 15 MW to a large-scale production facility in several stages over the coming years.
Midsummer says it has now begun concrete discussions with Saab to supply its equipment for a large-scale complete solar cell factory in Colombia.
It will contribute with its proprietary technology and production equipment to the fab. The Swedish PV manufacturer will also be responsible for the design and establishment of the factory, as well as selling all production equipment to Saab.
“We have already established a sales company in Colombia with an initial staff of three and are already noticing a large commercial interest in the region for our products based on the factors of high electricity prices, strong solar radiation and a large number of flat weak roofs for which our solutions are ideal,” said Midsummer CEO Eric Jaremalm.
Midsummer currently operates a factory in Sweden, where it produces solar roofs using its DUO equipment. It is also ready to launch its Italian thin-film solar cell factory in Bari, which is partly funded by Italian investment authority Invitalia (see Europe Solar PV News Snippets).